UNESCO to celebrate silver jubilee of International Mother Language Day next year

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided yesterday to celebrate the silver jubilee of International Mother Language Day on February 21, 2025.

The decision was taken unanimously at the 219th meeting of its executive board held at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Bangladesh Ambassador to UNESCO Khondker M Talha (L) thanks the members of the executive board after the adoption of the resolution. Photo: Collected

Sixty-four UNESCO member states supported a proposal placed by Bangladesh in this regard, according to a press release issued by the Bangladesh embassy in Paris.

Following this, the executive board approved the celebration of the day's silver jubilee on February 21, 2025, at the UNESCO headquarters, as well as its regional and local offices.

Besides, all member states of the organisation were urged to celebrate the silver jubilee of International Mother Language Day, added the release.

Ambassador Khondker M Talha, permanent representative of Bangladesh to UNESCO, thanked the UNESCO member states the executive board's approval, the release said.

He thanked all concerned for giving universality to sign language by giving it the importance of a mother tongue.

After the meeting, the ambassador told reporters that the decision was yet another recognition of the leadership and concerted effort of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the preservation, promotion and expansion of the mother tongue and sign language, the press release said.

He expressed hope that as a result of this decision, various programmes would be adopted in the country and abroad to honour the mother tongue next year.

He identified the global celebration of International Mother Language Day as a unique success of Bangladesh's public diplomacy and through this he felt it was a golden opportunity to highlight to the world the great history of Bangladesh's language movement and sacrifice for the mother tongue.

Bangladesh observes Amar Ekushey -- the Language Movement Day -- and International Mother Language Day every year in memory of the supreme sacrifice of the language martyrs on February 21, 1952.

The day is observed around the world after UNESCO on November 17, 1999 recognised February 21 as the International Mother Language Day.